Boiler cleaner



March 1, 1932.

w. P. THOMAS BOILER CLEANER 2 Sheet-Sheet Original Filed Oct. 30. 1922anucntoz 74 222251? 7720722626 .March 1, 1932. w THOMAS 1,847,451

B0 I LER CLEANER Original Filed Oct. 30. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnueuht71 212 is 2. 7720771 as ai etented Mar. 1, i932 earl-1s STATES PATENT.OFFICE WILLIS THOMAS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DIAMOND POWERSPECIALTY COREORATION, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGANBOILER CLEANER Application filed October 30, 1922, Serial No. 597,996.Renewed April 20, 1931.

This invention relates to boiler cleaners and refers more particularlyto boiler cleaners of the type in which a rotatable unit is used todischarge jets of steam against the surfaces of the tubes or other partsto be cleaned.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a new andimproved valve operating mechanism which is preferably intercons nectedwith the mechanism for rotating the unit so as to hold the valveopenduring a predetermined portion of the rotation of the blower unit; toprovide a construction in which a poppet valve is employed, this valvebeing preferably located directly in the axis of the blower unit. Theinvention resides further in such details of construction andarrangements and combination of parts as will. more fully hereinafterappear.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is avertical sectional view through a soot blower embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the parts shown in F 1'. p

Figs. 3 and 4' are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively butshowing a modified construction. j

Describing first in detail the particular embodiment of my inventionshown in the drawings, A designates a rotatable blower pipe having aplurality of discharge nozzles B through which steam is adapted to bedischarged against the surfacesof the tubes C or other parts of theboiler to be cleaned. Steam for cleaning the tubes is supplied to A thenozzles by means of an inlet D having ports D, the communication betweenwhich ports the interior of the blower pipe A is controlled by a valveE. The latter is of the poppet type and is held to its seat E by meansof springs E and E The spring E acts on its forward end against thecollar 4 5 secured to the valve stem E. This spring E is mounted in asuitable'recess in the plug H which is screwed into the end of theblower. pipe A. Sheave wheel H is fixed to this plug by studs H and ispinned to the blower tube A. by means of pin H Thus, when sheave wheel His rotated the blower tube A and the plug H rotate therewith as a unit,since these parts are all in fixed engagement.

For lifting the valve against the tension of the'springs there isemployed a rock arm G pivoted as by a pin G and having the forked end. Gpivotally connected by pin G to the valvestem E. One end of the spring Ebears against the rock arm G to-normally hold the valve E seated asaforesaid. The spring E has an intermediate portion E coiled about thepivot pin G and lower end portions E engageable with the relativelyfixed chain guide E Thus the chain guide E serves also to fixedlysupport the pivot pin G. The rock arm G is moved towards its outerposition by a cam-H which is carried by the sheave H.. The latter isaffixed to the rotatable blower unit A so that upon the rotation of'thesheave wheel H both the blower unit A and the cam H will be'rotated. Eand E are coil springs respectively acting on the bearing rings E and Eto place a tension at the threads of these rings thus pre-' ventingtheir accidental disengagement from the blower housing E Whenever thehigh portion of the cam comes in contact with the rock arm G it willrock it outwardly and pull the valve E from its seat E permitting steamto pass through theports D from the inlet D to the blower unit A. Withthis construction it is possible to rotate the sheave wheel Hcontinuously in either direction and to still have the valve Eautomatically opened during predetermined portions only of the rotationof the blower unit. I

In the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the arrangement of parts isthe same except that the cam H is omitted and an arm J fixed to the rockarm G. A chain or other suitable operating mechanism K is fastened to aloop K in the arm J so that the operator can manually adjust thevalve Efrom its seat. It is, of course, understood that the chain K and thechain N of the sheave wheel H can both extend'toa convenient positionfor use. Applicable to either of the modifications described, but moreparticularly to the second form, is the application of adjustable stopsto the sheave wheel H, these stops being adapted to contact with a fixedprojection on the body of the blower head to fix the limits ofoscillatory travel of the blower tube.

Thus, the member H may be fixed as by set screw H to a rim H formedintegral with the sheave wheel H. H is a fixed projection on the body ofthe blower head with which the member, or members H are adapted tocontact to limit the movement of the sheave wheel H, thus determiningthe limits of oscillatory travel of the blower tube. The invention is,however, not limited to the particular operating mechanism or to otherspecific features of construction except as ultimately set forth in theclaims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a stationary member formingan inlet for supply of steam, of a rotary blower pipe arranged to rotateabout its longitudinal axis to direct the jets of steam against thesurfaces to'be Cleaned, and a poppet valve located substantially inalinement with the blower unit for controlling the supply of steamthereto from the inlet and means for automatically moving said valveaway from the seat during a predetermined portionof the rotation of theblower unit.

2. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a stationary member formingan inlet for supply of steam, of a rotary blower pipe arranged to rotateabout its longitudinal axis to direct the jets of steam against thesurfaces to be cleaned, and a poppet valve located substantially inalinement with the blower unit for controlling the supply of steamthereto from the inlet and means for automatically movingsaid valve-awayfrom the seat during a predetermined portion of the rotation of theblower unit, said means including a cam for positively forcing the valveaway from its seat.

3. In a boiler cleaner, a stationary member forming an inlet for supplyof steam, a rotary blower pipe arranged to rotate about its longitudinalaxis to direct the jets of steam against the'surfaces to be cleaned, andan axially slidable poppet valve located substantially in alignment withthe blower unit for controlling the supply of steam thereto from theinlet, a va ve stem axially aligned with the valve and extendingrearwardly therefrom, a rotatable member concentric with the valve stemadapted to rotate the blower pipe, and means acting upon said valve stemfor automatically moving said valve away from the seat during a predetenmined portion of the rotation of the blower unit. 7

4. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a stationary member formingan inlet for supply of a cleaning fluid, of a rotary lower pipe arrangedto rotate about its longitudinal axis to direct jets of the cleaningfluid against the surface to be cleaned, and a poppet valve locatedsubstantially in alignment with the blower pipe for controlling thesupply of cleaning fluid thereto from the inlet and manually operatedmeans directly acting on said valve for automatically moving said valveaway from its seat during a predetermined portion of the rotation of theblower pipe.

5. A tube cleaner comprising a cleaner element, a stationary head withinwhich one end of said element turns, a valve in said head comprising avalve proper and a valve seat carried by said element, and meansincluding amember carried bysaid head coacting with said valve proper tomove the latter in the direction of the axis of the element to open andclosed positions when the element is turned.

6. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a rotatable blower tubehaving a jet for the discharge of cleaning fluid against the boilersurfaces to be cleaned, said blower tube having an inlet port, and meansfor rotating said blower tube of a member supported by the blower tubeand movable relatively thereto, means to move the said member axially ofsaid blower tube to control the inlet port in said blower tube, saidmeans being interconnected with the blower tube rotating means whereby'the discharge of cleaning fluid is caused to take place during apredetermined period of the rotation of said blower tube.

7 In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a stationary member formingan inlet for supply of steam, of a rotary blower pipe arranged to rotateabout its longitudinal axis to direct the jets of steam against thesurfaces to be cleaned, and a valve located substantially in alignmentwith the blower unit for controlling the supply of steam thereto fromthe inlet, and means for automatically moving said valve axially of saidblower pipe away from the seat during a predetermined portion of therotation of the blower unit.

8. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a stationary member formingan inlet for supply of steam, of a rotary blower pipe arranged to rotateabout its longitudinal axis to direct the jets of steam against thesurfaces to be cleaned, and a valve located substantially in alignmentwith the blower unit for controlling the supply of steam thereto fromthe inlet and means for automatically moving said valve axially of saidblower pipe away from the seat during a predetermined portion of therotation of. the blower unit, said means including a cam for positivelyforcing the valve away from its seat.

9. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable blower tube extending adjacent theboiler heating surfaces and provided with a nozzle for the discharge ofcleaning fluid adjacentthe surfaces to be cleaned, a source of supply ofcleaning fluid for said blower tube, a stationary head locatedexteriorly of the boiler in which the end of said blower tube isjournalled, said stationary head forming a connection between saidblower tube and said source of supply of cleaning fluid, a valve memberlocated in said head for controlling the supply of cleaning fluid tosaid blower tube, a port formed in the end of t 1e blower tube withwhich said valve member engages, and means to move the said valve memberaxially of said blower tube out of engagement with the said port touncover the port whereby cleaning fluid may be admitted to the blowertube.

10. In a boiler cleaner, a blower tube extending adjacent the boilerheating surfaces and provided with a nozzle for the discharge ofcleaning fluid, a source of supply of cleanins; fluid, a member locatedexteriorly of the boiler in which the open end of said blower tube ismounted, said member forming a connection between said blower tube andsaid source of supply of cleaning fluid a valve member located in saidmember and supported by the blower tube for controlling the supply ofcleaning fluid. to said tube, a port formed in the end of the blowertube with which said valve member engages, and means to move the saidvalve member axially of said blower tube out of engagement with saidport whereby cleaning fluid may be admitted to the blower tube.

11. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a stationary memberforming an inlet for a supply of steam, oi a rotary blower pipe arrangedto rotate about its longitudinal axis to direct the jets of steamagainst the surface to be cleaned, and a valve carried by and locatedsubstantially in alignment with the blower unit for controlling thesupply of steam thereto from the inlet, and a cam movable with theblower pipe for automatically moving said valve away from the seatduring a predetermined portion of the rotation of the blower unit.

12. In. a boiler cleaner, the combination with a rotatable blowerelement, means for rotating said element, a valve seat carried by saidelement and a valve axially aligned with said blower element andengageable with said valve seat for controlling the passage of cleaningfluid to said element, of means cooperating with said element rotatingmeans for axially mov said valve to open and close the same. I

13. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a rotatable blow-erelement, and a valve axially aligned with said blower element forcontrolling the passage of cleaning fluid to said element, of means forrotating said blower element, and a cam member cooperating with saidelement rotating means for axially moving said valve to open and closethe same.

14. In a boiler cleaner, a movable blower element, means for moving saidblower element, a valve member engageable with a valve seat movable withsaid blower element for controlling the flow of cleaning fluid to saidblower element, and means operable "said port, and means operable uponmovement of the blower element to effect a rela 'tive movement betweensaid valve and port in the direction of the axis of the blower elementto control the flow of cleaning fluid to v the blower element;

16.111 a boiler cleaner, a movable blower element, valve members forcontrollingthe flow of cleaning fluid to said blower element comprisinavalve proper and a valve seat defining a port co-axial with said blowerelement, one oi said valve members being carried by said blower element,and means oper able upon movement of said blower element to move one ofsaid valve members in the direction of the axis of the blower element.

17. In a boiler cleaner, a movable blower element, valve members forcontrolling the flow of cleaning fluid to said blower elementcomprisinga valve proper and a valve seat carried by said element, and meansoperable upon movement of said blower element to move one of said valvemembers in the direction of the axis of the blower element to controlthe flow of cleaning fluid to said blower element.

18. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable blower element, means for rotatingsaid blower element, valve members comprising a valve proper and a valveseat carried by said element, and means operable upon actuation of saidrotating means to move one of said valve members in the direction of theaxis of the blower element to control the supply of cleaning fluid tosaid blower element.

.19. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable blower element, a port formed inthe end of said blower element and co-axial therewith, a valve memberengaging said port for controlling the flow of cleaning fluid throughthe same, and means operable upon rotation of said blower element toeflect a relative movement between said valve and said port in thedirection of the axis of the blower element to control the flow ofcleaning fluid to said and close said valve when the element is turned.v

QLIna boiler cleaner, a blower head, a blower element having an enlargedportion journaled in said blower head, a valve seat formed in theenlarged portion of said blower element, a valve member housed withinthe e enlarged portion of said blower element and engageable with saidvalve seat for controlhug the flow ot cleanlng fluid to said blowerelement, and means operable upon rotation of said blower element toefiect a relative movement between said valve member and valve seat inthe direction of the axis of the blower element to control the flow ofcleaning fluid to the blower element. 1

22. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable blower element, a valve forcontrolling the flow of cleaning fluid to said blower element comprisinga valve proper and a valve seat carried by said blower element, andmeans operable upon rotation of said blower element to open said valveand to hold the same open during a predetermined portion of the rotationof the blower element.

23. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable blower element, a valve forcontrolling the flow of cleaning fluid to said blower element comprisinga valve proper and avalve seat car ried by said blower element, meansfor rotating said blower element and means rotatable with said blowerelement for opening said valve and for holding the same open during apredetermined portion of the rotation ofthe blower element.

In testimony whereof I affiX mv signature.

WILLIS P. THOMAS.

